Thrifting: it's therapeutic, plain and simple. The ZonaRoots Collection is an outlet for my shopping obsession, my treasure-hunting talents, and my slight hoarding proclivities. It's my very own little shop of second-hand, hand-picked women's fashion, and I've been loving every second of it.
I'll spend hours in the thrift store, sifting through rows and rows of stuffed clothing racks. The maybes hang heavy on my arm, soon shaken down to the absolute yeses - those which have been deemed worthy of the ZonaRoots's quality and novelty requirements.
This is exactly what I look for when sourcing items for the shop: quality and novelty. Quality includes the integrity of the item (is it in good shape and will it continue to be in good shape for years to come?), the wearability (because who's gonna wear it if it ain't cute and comfy?), and the value (which includes the $ money math, garment materials, and vintage status). The novelty is the fun part, the ZonaRoots part, the personality part. I select items that are unique, outfit-enhancing, and bold, all curated to create a brand that exudes creativity and freedom.
Outfits are art; an exercise of creativity and an invocation of confidence. An everyday masterpiece of self-expression and self-celebration.
Both style confidence and thrifting affections I got from my momma, and my grandpa too, who is infamous for bringing home thrifted treasures. And that's what thrifting is: modern-day treasure hunting. I love finding well-known brands at a fraction of the price, like Free People and Anthropology, Lululemon, or Zara; the thrifting thrill of stumbling across a vintage gem or a designer fashion label. About 75% of my personal closet is sourced from thrift and consignment stores (Goodwill, Plato's Closet, Buffalo Exchange, My Sister's Closet, local non-profit stores, boutique thrift shops).
My style is vivacious, dynamic, and uniquely my own; I've taken the time to cultivate it, to flourish it. And now, to propagate it with the ZonaRoots Collection.
An alternative to fast fashion, the ZonaRoots Collection is also my part of the global sustainability journey. There are environmental and ethical consequences from the high demand that fad-following companies capitalize on. Cheap labor, cloudy supply chains, unknown net carbon emissions; the ugly side to the glamorous fast fashion industry. To which thrifting and transparent clothing brands are the antidotes.
Like industries do, brands adapt to demand. There are efforts to enlighten the fashion industry. URBN, the parent company of Urban Outfitters, Anthropology, and Free People, has created an online thrift exchange called Nuuly. Princess Polly has anti- modern-day slavery and child labor policies, supply chain transparency intentions, and goals that seem to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. I admire Good On You, which rates clothing brands based on their sustainability efforts, giving people the knowledge to choose for themselves.
The power here is truly in the consumer. ZonaRoots encourages freedom; freedom of expression, consumer choice, and the cultivation of sustainable fashion culture. It's not just thrifting, it's an entire movement. Shop as good as you look, look as good as you feel, and feel free when you wear what you love.
Browse the shop -->> zonaroots.com/shop
Follow on Insta and Tiktok -->> @zonaroots.collection
Get in touch -->> zonaroots.connect@gmail.com